Japanese women flush divorce desires down the temple toilet

Women in Japan are flocking to a temple that is devoted to helping unhappy
wives end their marriages – by flushing their dreams of divorce down the
lavatory.

An early pioneer in women's marital rights, Mantokuji Temple was historically a refuge for women seeking to escape from unhappy marriagesPhoto: GETTY

By Danielle Demetriou in Tokyo

7:00AM GMT 02 Mar 2010

Mantokuji Temple, located in Gunma Prefecture in central Japan, is emerging as a mecca for modern women with relationship problems due to its historical status as a refuge for unhappy wives.

Celebrating the deity of the toilet, female visitors are encouraged to write down their aspirations on a piece of paper which is then flushed down the lavatory.

Visitors can choose between two traditional squat toilets devoted exclusively to the paper flushing ritual: the first is white and used by women wishing to cut ties, while the second black toilet is for those wishing to strengthen ties.

An early pioneer in women's marital rights, Mantokuji Temple was historically a refuge for women seeking to escape from unhappy marriages, according Tadashi Takagi, the temple museum director.

"In the past the Mantokuji was a divorce temple. There are only two in Japan and in the whole world," he said.

"Originally it provided the possibility to break off with bad relationships. Women used to come here to have legal protection and divorce from their husbands.

"So the idea today is that people get rid of the bad things in their life and become happy."

The unusual role of the toilet in ridding women of bad relationships is founded on the Japanese spiritual premise that its gods are present in everything – and that includes the lavatories.

Highlighting the power of the "kawaya no kami" toilet deity to heal illnesses and help in childbirth, Mr Takagi admitted: "There [have been] people who take it for a real lavatory and actually use it.

"But since we have put a sign indicating that the toilets are for praying, almost nobody makes that mistake anymore." Recent worshippers revealed that their wishes were not exclusively confined to marriages but expanded to include the concept of "severing links" with negative habits.

After flushing her wish down the white toilet, Shizue Kurokawa, 69, a tea ceremony teacher, said: "I severed the bind with obesity.

"I'm getting fat and it's not healthy. From now on, I'd like to lose weight, be in fine form and take are of my health."